Feeding and mixing apparatus for concrete guns or the like



, l. M. RIDLEY FEEDING AND MIXING APPARATUS FOR CONCRETE GUNS OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 10. 1959 IAN M. RIDLEY,

INVEN TOR.

HERZIG -& JESSUP Attorne 5. BY Y Jan. 8, 1963 l. M. RIDLEY 3,072,333

FEEDING AND MIXING APPARATUSFOR CONCRETE GUNS OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 10. 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 LAN M. RIDLEY,

J! 4 INVENTOR.

# HERZIG ,& JESSUB,

" BY J Afiiorneys nited States Patent 3,072,388 FEEDENG AND MIXING APPARATUS FOR CONCRETE GUNS OR THE LlKE Ian M. Ridley, Woodland Hills, Calif., assignor to Ridlcy and Company, Inc, Los Angeles, Calif a corporation of California Filed Dec. 10, 1959, Ser. No. 858,643 8 Claims. (Cl. 259-178) This invention relates to concrete mixers and more particularly to a feeding and mixing apparatus for concrete guns or the like, for more thoroughly mixing concretious material while more rapidly and continuously feeding the material to a concrete gun capable of shooting or spray ing the concretious material for direct application thereof.

This invention provides a new and improved concrete mixing and feeding apparatus having a plurality of premixing chambers whereby one batch of concrete mix is pro-mixed in one chamber while another chamber is being charged with concrete material, the material in one premixing chamber being discharged onto a conveyor when the other pre-mixing chamber is charged and the material of the other pro-mixing chamber being discharged into the same conveyor while the first container is being recharged withv another batch of concrete material, the discharge of the pre-mixing chambers being selectively controlled by manually or otherwise operated gate valves selectively operable to permit discharge of material from selective pre-mixing chambers to the conveyor.

The conveyor is continually operated to convey and elevate the pro-mixed material to a secondary mixing chamber which is elevated, in relationship to the pre-mixing chambers, where the material is additionally mixed and subsequently discharged into a hopper of a concrete gun or, optionally, into a strong vat.

The concrete gun as described herein normally includes a manually, or otherwise, operable valve interposed between its hopper and the interior of the gun for selectively discharging the contents of the hopper into the interior of the gun to feed the material into a pressurized chamber as disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 569,387, filed March 5, 1956, now Patent No. 2,942,860.

By elevating the secondary mixer chamber, it is possible to position the concrete gun below the secondary mixing chamber and align the gun with the discharge opening thereof for direct communication therewith and deposit of the material directly into the hopper of the gun for more efficient operation. It is to be understood, however, that the secondary chamber may, if desired, be positioned either directly adjacent to the pre-mixing chambers so as to cause the material to be discharged directly from the pre-mixing chambers into the secondary chamber to thereby eliminate the necessity for a conveyor or the secondary chamber may be positioned in any desired elevated or lowered position and the conveyor used to either elevate the material to the secondary chamber or convey the material downwardly or horizontally to the secondary mixer.

In the use of this invention, it is now possible to pre-mix concretious material in separate batches and alternately deposit the batches into a secondary mixing chamber for completion of mixing thereof to provide a continuous feed of concretious material into the cement gun to the extent of the full capacity and speed of the gun, which had been heretofore impractical and impossible. For example, the capacity of existing cement guns has been more than doubled so as to increase the efliciency of the gun and thereby effect greater economy and production in the operation thereof.

The building codes of each community specify minimum mixing times for aggregate cementious material before it is used which thereby limits the capacity for a 3,072,388 Patented Jan. 8, 1963 single disbursing apparatus, such as a cement gun, whereby, each batch must be mixed for a certain period of time before being deposited into the gun. By the instant'invention, however, it is now possible to pre-mix the material in one chamber during the period of time that it takes to manually or otherwise proportion and fill the material in another pre-mixing chamber, after which the material pre-mixed is deposited in or conveyed to the secondary mixing chamber and the emptied chamber is ready to be refilled while the material in the other chamber is being pro-mixed.

This instant invention further provides for depositing the pre-mixed material at one end of the secondary mixing chamber and the mixing or agitating means within the secondary mixing chamber is adapted to transversely move the pro-mixed material, while further mixing it, towards a discharge opening located at the other end of the secondary chamber. By the time the material is thus conveyed to the discharge opening of the secondary mixing chamber, it is thoroughly mixed for more than the minimum time specified by the building codes and is ready for use.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new and improved concrete mixing and feeding apparatus in which an aggregate of concretious material is continually pro-mixed and fed to a secondary mixing chamber for further mixing thereof to provide an improved and more thoroughly mixed aggregation of material for continuous feed to the apparatus or location for which it is intended.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved concrete mixing apparatus which provides means for selectively discharging material from the premixing chamber into the secondary mixing chamber.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a conveyor means by which the material pre-mixed in the pre-mixing chamber may be transported to the secondary mixing chamber located at a more advantageous and prac tical position for depositing the completely mixed material at the desired locations.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved concrete mixing apparatus which is mounted on wheels to be portable and which is provided with power drive means adapted to selectively drive either the wheels for transportation of the apparatus or the apparatus for operating moving parts thereof.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improved concrete mixing apparatus which more efficiently, continuously and thoroughly mixes an aggregate of concretious material for increasing the production of a cement gun, or the like.

It is a general object ofthis invention to provide a new and improved concrete mixing apparatus of the character described which overcomes disadvantages of prior means and methods heretofore intended to ac complish generally similar purposes.

These and other objects of thi invention will be more apparent from the following drawings, detailed description and appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view, in elevation, of the concrete mixing and feeding apparatus of this invention, illustrated as mounted on a movable vehicle;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, vertical, cross-sectional view, as taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side View, in elevation, illustrating the apparatus of FIG. 1 as viewed from the opposite side thereof;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, vertical, cross-sectional view, as taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view, as taken sub- .2 stantially along the center of the apparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, vertical, cross-sectional view, as taken substantially along the line 66 of FIG. 5.

Referring in detail to the drawings, there is shown, by way of illustration, but not of limitation, an improved concrete mixing and feeding apparatus, generally referred to by the numeral 1t and designed and constructed in accordance with this invention. The apparatus to is illustrated herein as being mounted on a chassis or firame 11 of a vehicle 12, in the form of a truck, to be mobile, the truck 12 having a drive means (not shown) normally associated therewith for driving a drive shaft 13 thereoi to propel the vehicle 12. in conventional manner. A take-off shaft 14 is connected to the drive shaft 13 as through a gear box 16 and is adapted to selectively transmit power of the drive shaft 13 to operate the cement mixer through a power transmission means 17 to be hereinafter described in greater detail.

The apparatus 10 essentially comprises a pre-mixing chamber or hopper 18, for pre-mixing an aggregate of cementitious material, such as sand, and cement, a secondary mixing chamber generally referred to by the numeral 19 for post-mixing and feeding the material to a cement gun, generally indicated at 20, and a conveyor means, generally referred to by the numeral 21, for conveying the pre-mixed material from the pre-mixing chamber 18 t9 the secondary chamber 19.

The secondary chamber 19 is herein illustrated as being in elevated relationship to the pre-mixing chamber 18 in order that the material of the secondary chamber 19 may be fed directly into a hopper 22 of the cement gun 20 to facilitate the delivery of the material to the gun 20 without loss of effort and time. it is to be understood, however, that, if desired, and if convenient, the conveyor 21 may be omitted and material from the pro-mixing chamber discharged directly into the secondary chamber 19 in the event that the completely mixed material is to be deposited in a "tray or bin for storage, rather than for immediate use in a cement gun.

A gate means 23 is interposed between the pre-mixing chamber 18 and the conveyor 21 for selectively discharging material from the pre-mixed chamber to the conveyor as will be hereinafter and more fully described.

In order that the operation of the apparatus is more continuous and to prevent interruption of feeding of mixed or partially mixed materials, the pre-mixing chamber 18 is most practically divided into a plurality of discrete pre-mixing chamber, two in the number being herein illustrated, as at 24 and 26, and formed by a dividing wall 27 in the chamber 18, whereby one of the chambers may be manually or otherwise filled with a predetermined proportion of sand and cement and mixed by a rotatable agitator means 28, common to both chambers 24 and 26 and extending through both chambers, while the other chamber is being filled with like material. The capacity of each of the chambers 24 and 26 is preferably such that the material in one chamber is mixed for more than one half of the minimum time prescribed by the building code of the particular community. By such construction, the pre-mixed material may be discharged from its chamber by the time the other chamber is charged with a new batch of material, whereupon the first chamber is substantially emptied when the other chamber is filled and the filling operation may be subsequently transferred to the emptied chamber to refill it to effect a substantially continuous discharging of material to the conveyor, and thereby to the secondary mixing chamber.

The agitator means 28 comprises a driven shaft 29 extending through both chambers 24 and 26 and journalled as in bearings 31 mounted on the outer walls of the chamber 18 and includes a plurality of radial stirring arms 32 angularly, progressively staggered and longitudinally spaced on the shaft 29 for rotation therewith. Each arm 32 preferably includes a transverse end piece 33 for more effective agitation of the material charged in the chamber. Each discrete chamber 24, 26 is provided with an opening 34, 36, respectively, adjacent to the conveyor 21 and communicating therewith, through which the contents of each compartment is discharged to the conveyor for conveying of the material from the pre-mixed chamber to the secondary mixing chamber. The gate means 23 includes a pair f slidable gates 37 and 38 slidably operable to selectively close and open the openings 34, 36, respectively, for selective discharge of the contents of the pro-mixing chambers to the conveyor.

The gates 37, 33 are slidable in guide means 39 adjacent each opening 34, 36 for sliding vertical movement relative to its respective opening, the guides 39 including a lower stop member 41 upon which the gates 37 and 38 rest when in a closed position. Each gate 37, 38, includes an upwardly extending arm 42 having linearly-arranged gear teeth 43 formed on one edge thereof and engaged with a quadrant gear 44 pivotally mounted on the rear wall 46, as at 47, of the pre-mixing chamber 18. A handle 43, in one form, is permanently or rcmovably secured to the quadrant gear 44 for manual actuation of the gates 37, '38, each being independently operable.

As best seen in FIG. 2, downward manually or otherwise imparted movement through the handle 48, associated with the opening 36, causes its quadrant gear 44 to rotate and impart a linear upward movement to its arm 42. to lift the gate 38 and uncover the opening 36, whereby rotation of the agitator means 28, in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 5 and indicated by the arrowed line 49, ejects the material through the opening 34 and into buckets 51 secured to a belt or chain 52 of the conveyor 21. To facilitate removal of the premixed material from its chamber, transverse members 33, similar to the members 33, of the stirring arms 32 aligned with the opening 34 are preferably of wider dimension, thereby acting as paddles to eject the material from the chamber, whereas the members 33 of the remaining arms 32 are preferably angularly disposed relative to the axis of the shaft 29 so as to bias material towards the inner portion of a chamber and in line with the opening 34. The agitator 28 is similarly arranged within the chamber 26 to effect a similar action in biasing the material towards the area of the opening 36 and having similar members 33 for more effective ejection of the material through the opening 36.

In its simplest form, the gate means 23 is manually operable. However, if desired, means may be provided for automatically and cyclically operating the gate means 23 for automatic and cyclic selective discharge of the pre-mixing chambers, and optionally, the secondary mixing chamber.

In reference to FIG. 2, a means for automatically and cyclically operating discharge of material is indicated in broken lines wherein hydraulic cylinders 53 are connected by suitable hydraulic conduits 54 to a selector valve 56 operated as by a cam 57 actuated by a motor 58, the motor being controlled by a timing mechanism 59 to selectively operate the hydraulic cylinders 53 to operate selective gates 37 and 38 and, additionally, a valve means 61 of the cement gun 20 as by a hydraulic cylinder 62 operatively connected to a handle 63 actuating the valve 61, the hydraulic conduits 64 of the cylinder 62 being likewise controlled by the selector valve 56 in which the line 66 represents an inlet pressure from the hydraulic system and the lines 67 represent outlets.

To facilitate manual loading of the pre-mixing chambers 24, 26, of chamber 18, an open end 71, through which material is charged into the chambers, is preferably provided with a plurality of spaced bars 72 spanning the opening 71, at least one bar '72 spanning each chamber 24, 26 having a toothed cutter means 73 secured thereto. By this means, the sand may be easily shovelled into the chamber, entering through the bars 72, whereas a package of cement, which is generally packaged in a paper sack, may be deposited on the bars '72 and in contact with the cutter means 73 to slit the paper sack, after Which the sack may be folded to further extend the slit and the contents of the sack emptied therefrom into the chamber. The cutter means 73 includes a plurality of upstanding sharpened teeth 74 for initiating a slit in the sack.

The shaft 29 of the agitator means 28 is continually rotated, through a gear box 76, by a sprocket gear 77, chain 78 and a sprocket gear 79 of the power transmission means 17, driven by the drive shaft 13. The means 17 includes a sprocket gear 81 engaged with and driven by the chain 78 to drive, through a sprocket 82, a sprocket chain 83 for driving a sprocket gear 84 secured to an upper shaft 86 of the conveyor means 21 for operating the conveyor in a direction to carry the buckets 51 upwardly away from the pre-mixing chambers, as indicated by the arrowed line 37 in FIG. 5.

A second sprocket gear 88 is keyed, or otherwise secured, to the shaft 14 for driving a sprocket chain 89 and a sprocket gear 91 of a gear box 92 to rotate a shaft 93 of an agitator means 94 rotatably supported in the secondary mixing chamber 19, the shafts 93, 86 and 29 being simultaneously driven to continually operate to the agitators 28 and 94 and the conveyor 21 for continuous operation of the apparatus.

As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the secondary mixing chamber 19 includes an open top 96 through which material conveyed by the conveyor means 21 is deposited. The material is preferably deposited at one end 97, of the opening 96, opposite to an end of the chamber 19 having a discharge opening 98 extending through the bottom 99 thereof. A screen 101 is preferably interposed at the end 97 of the opening 96 through which the material falls thereby screening unwanted large particles from the mixture. The screen 101 may be omitted if the size of the particles is unimportant.

The agitator means 94 of the secondary mixing chamber 19 includes a plurality of radial, axially-spaced, mixing arms 102 secured thereto, each angularly disposed relative to the shaft 93 to continually direct material deposited at the end 97 towards the end of the chamber 19 having the opening 98, whereby the material transversely is progressed towards the opening 98 while being postmixed.

As the material Within the secondary mixing chamber 19 is discharged into the opening 98, it is funnelled, by an extension 103 of the bottom 99, to the hopper 22 of a cement gun 20, there to be controlled by the valve means 61 of the gun means, as required for the gun. As previously mentioned, the valve means 61 may be operated manually, by the handle 63, to open the valve 61 and discharge contents into an upper chamber 104 of the gun 20, after which the valve 61 is closed and the chamber 104 pressurized by an air conduit 106 to equalize pressure to that of a lower chamber 107 of the gun 20. Subsequently, a, lower valve 108 is opened to allow' material from the chamber 104 to enter the chamber 107 and to be metered out through a flexible conduit 109, as described in my copending application referred to above. If desired, the handle 63 may be operated automatically and cyclically by the selective valve 56 previously described. Optionally, if the apparatus is to be used for other purposes than to feed a concrete gun 20, a separate valve means, similar to the valve 61, may be provided to control the discharge opening 98 or, a gate, similar to the gates 37, 38, may be provided and similarly manually or automatically controlled.

Operation As will now be more clearly understood by the foregoing description, a mixture of sand and cement is deposited into one of the pre-mixing chambers 24 or 26 for pre-mixing thereof by the continually operating agitator means 28, as for example, the pre-mixing chamber 24 having its gate 37 in a lowermost position to close off its discharge opening 34. Upon filling of the cham ber 34, filling operation of the material is transferred to the chamber 36 and prior to complete filling thereof, the mixture of the material within the chamber 24 is caused to be discharged therefrom by opening the discharge opening 34 by lowering of the handle 48 to raise the gate 37. The material is discharged from the chamber 24, through the opening 34 by the action of the agitator 28 and into buckets 51 of the conveyor 52 which is likewise continually operated. The material is elevated within the buckets 51 to a position overlying the opening 96 of the secondary mixing chamber 19, screened through the screen 101 and is deposited within the chamber for mixing thereof by the agitator means 94. The material is then mixed by the arms 102 of the continually-operating agitator means 94 and is transversely carried to the other end of the chamber 19, the discharge end having the discharge opening 98, whereupon the thoroughlymixed aggregate is deposited within the hopper 22 of the cement gun 20 for disposition thereof by the valve means 61 of the gun.

Meanwhile, filling of the chamber 26 is completed approximately at the time that the chamber 24 is substantially emptied whereupon re-filling of the chamber 24 may be initiated and the contents of the chamber 26 discharged onto the conveyor 21 prior to complete filling of the chamber 24 thereby continually supplying the conveyor 21 with material for conveyance to the secondary mixing chamber 19 to the full operating capacity of the gun 20.

To control the moisture content of the aggregate mixed tion, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and methods.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for feeding and mixing cementitious material, comprising: a vehicle having mounted thereon at the rear thereof a pre-mixing chamber adapted to receive an aggregate of cementitious material, a secondary mixing chamber mounted on the vehicle in elevated relationship to said pre-mixing chamber and forwardly thereof, agitator means rotatably mounted in each of said mixing chambers for mixing the material contained therein, conveyor means communicating between the pre-mixing chamber and the secondary mixing chamber for progressively conveying material from the pre-mixing chamber to the secondary mixing chamber, said secondary mixing chamber having a discharge opening and means comprising a cement gun mounted on said vehicle communicating with said discharge opening.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said conveyor means is offset from said secondary mixing chamber so as to discharge pre-mixed material from said conveyor into one end thereof, the said discharge opening of said secondary mixing chamber being offset relative thereto to discharge material from the secondary mixing chamber from the other end thereof, and the said agitator means in said secondary chamber including means for progressively conveying material from one end thereof to the said discharge opening thereof during mixing.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said premixing chamber includes at least a pair of discrete mixing chambers, the said agitator means of the pre-mixing chamber extending through both said discrete mixing chambers, each of said discrete chambers having a discharge opening communicating with said conveyor means, and means operable to selectively open and close the said openings communicating with said conveyor means.

4. An apparatus as in claim 3 including fluid spray means associated with each of the discrete mixing chambers and independently operable to selectively spray fluid into selective ones of said discrete chambers.

5. An apparatus as in claim 3 including automatic means for continuously cyclically operating said means for selectively opening and closing said discharge openings of said discrete mixing chambers.

6. Apparatus for feeding and mixing cementitious material, comprising: a vehicle having mounted thereon a pre-mixing chamber including first and second discrete mixing compartments adapted to receive an aggregate of cementitious material; a secondary mixing chamber mounted on said vehicle in elevated relationship to said pre-mixing chamber; agitator means rotatably mounted in each of said mixing chambers for mixing the material contained therein, said agitator means of said pre-mixing chamber extending through said discrete mixing compartments; conveyor means communicating between said pre-mixing chamber and said secondary mixing chamber-for progressively conveying material from said pre-mixing chamber to said secondary mixing chamber, each of said discrete compartments having a discharge opening communicating with said conveyor means and means operable to selectively open and close said openings communicating with said conveyor means, and said secondary mixing chamber having a discharge opening; and means comprising a concrete gun mounted on said vehicle and communicating with said discharge opening of said secondary mixing chamber and located thereunder, said concrete gun having vertically aligned upper and lower compartments, a first valve for con trolling the flow of material from said discharge opening of said secondary mixing chamber into said upper compartment, means for pressurizing said upper compartment, and a second valve for controlling the flow of material from said upper compartment into said lower compartment.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 in which said conveyor means is offset from said secondary mixing chamber so as to discharge pre-mixed material from said conveyor into a first end thereof, said discharge opening of said secondary mixing chamber is offset relative thereto so as to discharge material from said secondary mixing chamber from a second end thereof, and said agitator means in said secondary chamber includes means for progressively conveying material from said first end thereof to said discharge opening thereof during mixing.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, including automatic means for continuously cyclically operating said means for selectively opening and closing said discharge openings of said discrete mixing compartments.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,820,954 Tuck Sept. 1, 1931 1,934,116 Canfield Nov. 7, 1933 1,964,523 McConnaughay June 26, 1934 2,054,042 Pipes Sept. 8, 1936 2,409,646 Seaman Oct. 22, 1946 2,527,761 Polak Oct. 31, 1950 2,809,816 Whitehead et al Oct. 15, 1957 2,858,116 Hale Oct. 28, 1958 2,880,976 True Apr. 7, 1959 2,899,182 Ridley Aug. 11, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 578,033 France June 30, 1924 

6. APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND MIXING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, COMPRISING: A VEHICLE HAVING MOUNTED THEREON A PRE-MIXING CHAMBER INCLUDING FIRST AND SECOND DISCRETE MIXING COMPARTMENTS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AN AGGREGATE OF CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL; A SECONDARY MIXING CHAMBER MOUNTED ON SAID VEHICLE IN ELEVATED RELATIONSHIP TO SAID PRE-MIXING CHAMBER; AGITATOR MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN EACH OF SAID MIXING CHAMBERS FOR MIXING THE MATERIAL CONTAINED THEREIN, SAID AGITATOR MEANS FOR SAID PRE-MIXING CHAMBER EXTENDING THROUGH SAID DISCRETE MIXING COMPARTMENTS; CONVEYOR MEANS COMMUNICATING BETWEEN SAID PRE-MIXING CHAMBER AND SAID SECONDARY MIXING CHAMBER FOR PROGRESSIVELY CONVEYING MATERIAL FROM SAID PRE-MIXING CHAMBER TO SAID SECONDARY MIXING CHAMBER, EACH OF SAID DISCRETE COMPARTMENTS HAVING A DISCHARGE OPENING COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CONVEYOR MEANS AND MEANS OPERABLE TO SELECTIVELY OPEN AND CLOSE SAID OPENINGS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CONVEYOR MEANS, AND SAID SECONDARY MIXING CHAMBER HAVING A DISCHARGE OPENING, AND MEANS COMPRISING A CONCRETE GUN MOUNTED ON SAID VEHICLE AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID DISCHARGE OPENING OF SAID SECONDARY MIXING CHAMBER AND LOCATED THEREUNDER, SAID CONCRETE GUN HAVING VERTICALLY ALIGNED UPPER AND LOWER COMPARTMENTS, A FIRST VALVE FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF MATERIAL FROM SAID DISCHARGE OPENING OF SAID SECONDARY MIXING CHAMBER INTO SAID UPPER COMPARTMENT, MEANS FOR PRESSURIZING SAID UPPER COMPARTMENT, AND A SECOND VALVE FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF MATERIAL FROM SAID UPPER COMPARTMENT INTO SAID LOWER COMPARTMENT. 